Hurricanes’ biggest mistake at 2026 NHL trade deadline

As a result, the Hurricanes were expected to make a move for a big-name center at the deadline. They could have been in the mix for Nazem Kadri, but he was eventually traded by the Calgary Flames to the Colorado Avalanche.

They also could have made a deal with the New York Rangers. That team that declared itself in the sell mode weeks ago. The Rangers previously traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. It was widely expected that they would also trade Vincent Trocheck. However, the Hurricanes could not make that deal as the Rangers ended up holding on to the center because they were apparently asking for quite a bit in return.

New York wanted a high draft pick, a prospect and a rostered player. Brind’Amour said the player reaction to the team’s inability to make the key acquisition was not positive.

“I know there’s a lot of disappointment, I’m going to be honest,” Brind’Amour said, per Cory Lavalette of The Athletic. “The players were hoping to see us make a splash. It’s tough.”

General manager Eric Tulsky did make one trade. He brought in enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers. Deslauriers will stand up for his new teammates whenever they face a physical challenge. However, Deslauriers is not going to contribute much offense from his left-wing position. The 35-year-old was acquired for a seventh-round draft pick. He has just one assist to this point in the season.

The Hurricanes have been one of the most consistent regular-season teams in the NHL. They have made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons. However, they have lost in the second round or the conference finals six times. Something has been missing from the Hurricanes in the postseason. That same fate could impact their chances of winning the Stanley Cup again this season.

Past playoff failures indicate that a player like Trocheck is needed

The Hurricanes were bounced out of the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers last season in the Eastern Conference Finals in five games. They were beaten by the New York Rangers in six games in the second round in 2024.

The 32-year-old Trocheck would have been an excellent fit for the Hurricanes. He has played 13 years in the NHL, and that includes a 3-year-stint with the Hurricanes from the 2019-20 season through 2022-23.

Trocheck had four consecutive seasons with 21 goals or more heading into 2025-26, and while he has just 12 goals and 31 assists this season, he would have been a solid addition for the Hurricanes.

He is also a dominant player in the face-off circle. Trocheck has won more than 57 percent of his faceoffs and that’s a figure that Stankoven can’t come close to matching. He is under water at 44.3 percent. Trocheck is also a brilliant penalty killer, an area that he excelled at for Team USA in the recently completed Olympic gold medal run.

It seems clear that the Hurricanes needed to make a key move at the trade deadline, and not just adding an enforcer.
They needed a highly skilled and experienced player like Trocheck.

The Rangers may have been asking for a lot in return for Trocheck but not having him for the end of the regular season and the playoffs may hurt Carolina badly.